As a culinary artist, Chef Razia Sabour has shown the world what it truly means to put your soul into food. From providing catering services to the television industry to winning cooking shows, Chef Sabour has taken the food and catering industry by storm.
Born and raised in Washington, D.C, Chef Sabour is one of 12 children and falls fourth from the bottom of the line. Growing up, Chef Sabour remembers both her parents being devout cooks, but her father in particular, was one of the head cooks for his division in the military. In fact, cooking was such a central part of Chef Sabour’s childhood that she could even cut up an entire lamb at a very young age, thanks to her father.
Chef Sabour remembers in the Sabour home that cooking was a necessity growing up. She remembers being taught to cook as early as three years old.
A fond memory of her childhood was always seeing a peachtree outside of her family home, which helped to further cultivate her passion for cooking. Aside from this, her family had a vegetable garden which they used to cook with everyday.
While food played an integral role in Chef Sabour’s life, she did not always know she wanted to become a chef. It was not until the idea was planted into her in the form of a vision during her adult life, that Chef Sabour realized the culinary world was calling her name.
Chef Sabour attended Duke Ellington School of the Arts for high school where she studied vocal music which she loved every minute of.
Upon high school graduation, Chef Sabour received a music scholarship to attend Indiana University but then realized a career in music would not suit her. While at IU, Chef Sabour started out majoring in vocal performance and then switched to family studies, human development and psychology.
Chef Sabour began her career in social work and found joy in being able to serve youth in this capacity for nine years. However, she began having visions of herself in a chef’s coat and did not realize why that was, after having her first daughter Layla. She began to seek a less strenuous schedule and this ultimately led to her becoming a chef.
As the creator of Fuller Food, Chef Sabour made her big breakthrough after receiving an opportunity to cater for Tyler Perry Studios 10 years ago. Since then, Chef Sabour has remained a caterer for Tyler Perry Studios and has gone on to cater for TV networks such as Bravo, BET, WEtv, TBS, VH1, and many others.
One of Chef Sabour’s most recent accomplishments has been winning The Great Soul Food Cook Off hosted and created by the Oprah Winfrey Network.
While Chef Sabour is commonly known for her talents and skills in the culinary world, she is also a wife and mother to two daughters. She prides herself on her family life and has centered her values around it.
Chef Sabour met her husband, Mike Burton, within Soul Revue and they have been together ever since.
Cooking is a private and intimate experience for Chef Sabour and she enjoys being able to provide service and comfort to people for a living. To her it is a priceless embodiment of love and care.
“I cook soul food with great pride,” Chef Sabour said. “I feed all kinds of people my food, which is soul food. It is innate. It is who I am.”
